[This is one in a series of devotional reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during June 2021]
A church where I was previously a member has recently published online a series of interviews with retired ministers, pastors and preachers who have been instrumental in furthering the work of the Holy Spirit, both locally and further afield[1]. It has been interesting to listen to them recounting their experiences and sharing their wisdom.
What is wisdom? Just as data[2] are not information until they are analysed so knowledge is not wisdom until it has been affirmed by experience. There is an old adage: “Knowledge is being aware that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing that it is not used in fruit salad”. Of course, it is not necessary for everyone to make their own tomato-flavoured fruit salad in order to verify this piece of wisdom; wisdom can be acquired via someone else’s experiences.
Surely most of us have gone through at least one stage of thinking: “I wish I’d known then what I know now”. Maybe we could have ‘known it then’ if we had had the wisdom and humility to listen. One translation of the book of Hebrews starts with these words: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past unto the fathers by the prophets …” but we know from the Old Testament account that the fathers did not listen. The words of the prophets were diluted, derided and discarded, in a way that seems not so different from today.
The Bible has a lot to say about wisdom. King Solomon wrote a book of proverbs based on his own experiences in the hope that his children would be wiser than him and not make the same mistakes. (It didn’t work, but that’s another story.)
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. [Proverbs 1 v8-9 NIVUK]
The same chapter tells us:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. [Proverbs 1 v7 NIVUK]
William Mountford, the nineteenth century English preacher and author wrote:
For knowledge to become wisdom, and for the soul to grow, the soul must be rooted in God: and it is through prayer that there comes to us that which is the strength of our strength, and the virtue of our virtue, the Holy Spirit.
James put the same thought rather more succinctly:
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. [James 1 v5 NIVUK]
Are you facing a difficult situation or do you have decision to make? Remember how Joseph, Daniel and Nehemiah all paused to ask for God’s guidance before going on to achieve great things.
[1] For example: Interview with John Blanchard, author of ‘Essential Questions’.
[2] 01010111 01101001 01110011 01100100 01101111 01101101
‘Wisdom’ written in binary code as an illustration of the difference between data and information.
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © the Author
Thanks Steve
Thank you Steve for this reflection. I pray that the Holy Spirit would give me more wisdom in my life in the future.
A helpful and interesting passage about wisdom.